Chapter 54: Road Trip

As the truck continued its journey down the winding highway, George found himself grappling with conflicting emotions.

He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach since the moment he agreed to help Reign.

After talking to Reign more, his initial impression of him as a reckless and impulsive monster began to change. He couldn't help but wonder what darkness lay behind those shaded eyes.

Lost in thoughts, he barely noticed when Reign spoke, his voice cutting through the silence.

"Stop,"

George slowed down the truck and parked it on the side of the road.

"What's wrong?" he asked, but before he could get an answer, Reign stepped out of the vehicle, his gaze focused on the forest in front of him.

He could only make out the trees along the road, thick with bushes and sloping upwards gently, more like a hill than a small mountain.

'Something is there,' Reign muttered to himself.

Ever since he had evolved into Skull-Fiend, he had become more sensitive to the smell of death. Right now, he could tell that there was a strong scent of malice nearby.

"Wait here, I'll check something out," Reign commanded.

George wasn't much help in combat, so it made sense to just think of him as a personal driver.

Even though George wanted to argue, Reign's serious tone made him think twice.

"I'll wait here, " With a resigned sigh, he nodded silently, understanding the gravity of the situation.

He watched as Reign disappeared into the dense foliage of the forest, his body blending seamlessly with the trees.

Inside .

With calm steps, Reign continued to follow the trail of the ominous scent.

His eyes , searching for any sign of movement or disturbance.

Every rustle of leaves, every whisper of the wind, did not escape his ears.

SWOOOOSH!

He heard the sound of running footsteps approaching from behind him. Judging by the rhythm, he could tell it was coming from something with four legs.

"Mantis Eyes," he muttered, activating his ability to increase his reaction time and widen his field of view.

With heightened senses, he scanned his surroundings.

In the periphery of his vision, Reign spotted a four-legged monster, its form covered by a bush.

'Oh a new ability,'

Reign's smile widened as he saw a new ability given by his system. It was like stumbling upon an unexpected option, adding a pleasant surprise.

[Race: Demonized Doberman]

[The Demonized Doberman is classified as an unranked demon, having undergone a transformation from a regular dog into a demonic entity. Despite their demonic nature, they are relatively weak, with their potential limited to the lower ranks of the demonic hierarchy.]

[System: Would you like to devour Demon Aura to earn skill points ]

[Yes] or [No]

"Yes," Reign quickly answered.

As he spoke, he sensed a peculiar energy emanating from the Doberman, a shimmering dark aura that seemed to pulsate with a mysterious power.

Gradually, the dog began to undergo a transformation, its body shrinking and contorting until it reverted back to its original size and appearance.

[+1 skill Points]

"WOOF WOOF WOOF"

With a playful bark that sounded almost like it was happy, the Doberman began to wag its tail. It even allowed Reign to pat its head, a sign of newfound trust or perhaps gratitude.

"Who's the good dog? Who's the good dog?" Reign playfully exclaimed as he continued to interact with the Doberman.

He found himself genuinely enjoying the company of this pet, remembering that he had always wanted a pet before he was kidnapped in his previous life.

"What should I call you?" he pondered aloud, considering a name befitting both the dog's nature and his own sense of style. He sought something with a cool, commanding presence.

"Wick, I'll call you Wick from now on," Reign declared, giving the Doberman a pat on the belly. It appeared that Wick rather liked the name, responding with a contented wag of his tail.

***

"What is that thing?" George asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He had expected Reign to return from his mysterious errand with tales of battling demons or ghosts, but instead, he was confronted with the sight of Reign proudly leading a Doberman.

Reign grinned "Surprise! Meet our newest team member."

George blinked, struggling to process the absurdity of the situation. "Our team has a dog now?"

"Two dogs now, to be exact," Reign spoke up with a mischievous tone.

"Two dogs? Where's the other one?" George asked, scanning the place for any sign of a second unexpected canine companion.

"What are you talking about? This dog is called Wick, and the other one is called George," Reign laughed hysterically, enjoying the scene.

George's face contorted in annoyance, a mix of frustration and resignation washing over him. Once again, Reign was poking fun at him, and the worst part was that he had no way to talk back.

He could only let out a gruff huff of indignation, silently lamenting his misfortunes.